England Cathedrals England Cathedrals Home Page Below is a list of the top England Cathedrals with Websites, Images and Reviews, such as Durham , Liverpool , St Paul's , York Minster , Lincoln and more. A Cathedral is a Christian Church that contains the seat of a Bishop, it has nothing to do with the size of the building, although most Bishops have their seats in the largest churches in their area. Some are the largest by volume, type, highest, longest, or the oldest. Click on Post-Codes for Reviews and Maps. The Accommodation links are set for Hotels, can be changed to B&B or Self Catering Liverpool Anglican Cathedral 331 feet high, 620 feet long Built from 1904-1978, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral is situated on St James' Mount, in the centre of Liverpool. This Cathedral is said to be the the largest in the UK, and the fifth largest in the world by area. Free to visit, small donations are encouraged. Phone number 0151 709 6271.

Accommodation Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral 278 feet high Built from 1962-1967, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the centre of Liverpool, close to the huge Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. This cathedral attracts visitors for its design rather than size. Free to visit, small donations are encouraged. Phone number 0151 709 9222. Accommodation St Paul's Cathedral 365 feet high, 518 feet long Built from 1665-1710, St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral situated at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the centre of London. This cathedral is said to be the second largest in England, 17th largest in the world. Many famous people are buried in St Paul's such as Nelson, Wellington, Sir Alexander Fleming, and the architect who designed the cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren. Charges to enter are about £18 adult. Phone number 020 7246 8350.

Accommodation Westminster Abbey 225 feet high, 513 feet long Built 1245-1745, The Collegiate Church of St Peter is better known as Westminster Abbey. Situated in the centre of London, next to the Parliament building, many royals have been crowned here, and many buried within its walls, also, some of the most famous people in British history are buried here, so many, there is little space left for any more tombs. Charges to enter are about £20 adult. Phone number 020 7222 5152. Accommodation York Minster Cathedral 234 feet high, 524 feet long Built from 1220-1480, York Minster is a huge Gothic cathedral in York, northeast England. This is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the UK, 4th largest Gothic cathedral in the world by volume after Seville , Cologne & Amiens . Charges to enter are about £15 adult. Phone number 01904 557 200.

Accommodation Lincoln Cathedral 525 ft high original now 271 ft, 470 ft long Built from 1185-1311, Lincoln Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral situated in the centre of Lincoln/ England. This was the tallest building in the world for 249 years from 1300-1549. The 524 feet high central spire was never rebuilt after it collapsed in 1549. The only Cathedral to exceed this height is the 530 feet high Ulm Munster in Germany. Charges to enter are about £5 adult. Phone number 01522 561 600. Accommodation Salisbury Cathedral 404 feet high, 442 feet long Built from 1220-1258, Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral situated in the town of Salisbury, south of England. The cathedral has the highest church spire in the UK at 404 ft, has the world's oldest working clock from 1386, and has one of the four original copies of Magna Carta.

Tower tours cost about £10 for adults. Phone number 01722 555 120. Accommodation Winchester Cathedral 556 feet long, Present building built 1094-1300s, Winchester Cathedral is one of the largest in England, claimed to be the longest Gothic cathedral in Europe. King Alfred of Wessex used Winchester for his main city in 827, and Edward the Confessor was the last king to be crowned in the Old Cathedral in 1043. Most kings were crowned at Westminster Abbey after this time, as London became the capitol of England. The novelist Jane Austen was buried in Wnchester Cathedral in 1817 . The tombs of many Saxon Kings were moved from the old building to this one. Tours from £3. Phone number 01962 857 200. Accommodation Canterbury Cathedral 236 ft high, 515 ft long, built 1070-1834 Canterbury Cathedral in the county of Kent, is one of the oldest, and most famous Cathedrals in England.

There are many famous people buried here, including the Archbishop Thomas Becket. Charges to enter are about £10 adult. Phone number 01227 762 862. Accommodation Durham Cathedral 218 feet high, 469 feet long, built 1093-1133 Durham Cathedral, in northeast England, is claimed to be one of the top Norman buildings in England, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with Durham Castle that is connected to the cathedral by Palace Green . Free to visit, small donations are encouraged. Phone number 0191 386 4266. Accommodation Wells Cathedral 160 feet high, 383 feet long, built 1176-1490 Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral situated in Somerset, southwest England. This cathedral is claimed to be one of the top examples of early English architecture. Free to visit, donations are encouraged. Phone number 01749 674 483. Accommodation St.

George's Chapel at Windsor Castle built 1475-1500s St George's Chapel is situated within the walls of the huge Windsor Castle, 22 miles west of London. The chapel is the size of some cathedrals, and the burial place of many royals, such as most recent: King George VI in 1952, Princess Margaret (ashes) in 2002, & Queen Elizabeth (The Queen Mother) in 2002. Also the burial place of Henry VIII. Visitor fees for the castle and chapel are about £18 per adult. Phone number 01753 848 888. Accommodation Lichfield Cathedral 252 feet high, built 1200-1340 Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Staffordshire/ England, about 20 miles north of Birmingham. This is claimed to be the only medieval English cathedral with three spires. The Cathedral was badly damaged during the English Civil war. Restoration began in the 1660s. Entrance is free with donations encouraged. Visitor Guides are available at about £2 and Souvenir Books at about £8.

Phone number 01543 306 100. Accommodation Ripon Cathedral built 1160-1547 Ripon Cathedral is the cathedral of Ripon and Leeds, situated in the small city of Ripon, about 34 miles north of Leeds, built in Anglo-Saxon/ Gothic style. Below the Cathedral, from an earlier church, is claimed to be one of the oldest complete crypts in Europe from 672. Free visits. Phone number 01765 602 072. Accommodation Rochester Cathedral built 1179-1238 Rochester Cathedral is a Norman structure situated in Kent, 31 miles southeast of London. The bishopric is claimed to be the second oldest in England, with Canterbury being the oldest. The cathedral is only 306 feet long, but its nave is said to be the oldest in England, and it has an interesting Norman crypt. Free to enter with donations encouraged. Phone number 01634 843 366.

Top Ten Cathedrals to see before you die | Life of an Architect Life of an Architect You are here: Home / Observations / Ten Cathedrals to see before you die Ten Cathedrals to see before you die April 19, 2011 by Bob Borson 146 Comments This is a topic that has been sitting in my draft box for almost a year – and I thought I should finish it up. Originally I was going to title this the “Top 10 Cathedrals You Should See Before You Stop Seeing Cathedrals” because that’s really what this list is – churches worth going to and checking out – but that title isn’t very good. The list could also have been 100 cathedrals long – I had a hard time stopping with the ones on this list. I suppose what I am trying to say is that this is not my list of the top ten cathedrals, rather it is the first ten cathedrals on this list.

Another reason this post sat in the ‘draft’ section for so long is that I would rather write a single post on each of these cathedrals – except I haven’t been to all of these cathedrals before. That also means I had to go get other people’s photo’s (which I hate doing) to show you what these buildings looked like. I have seen a few of these in person and they are all magnificent … well worth the effort to see them before you stop making the effort to see things. Right, enough of that, let’s get started. Feel free to add a cathedral to the list in the comment section. I would be interested in hearing what cathedrals you would have put one here (if any). Oh – and for the record, there can only be one cathedral per city for all you La Sainte-Chapelle fans (but feel free to list churches, chapels and the lot as you wish). . Nidaros Cathedral Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway Work on the Nidaros Cathedral began in 1070 and was finished sometime around 1300.

This is a good example of a Romanesque and Gothic style cathedral and the only one I could think of in Norway. Nidaros Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Norway and is regarded both as a national shrine and a coronation church. Together with the Archbishop’s Palace, it is one of the largest tourist attractions in the country. Not really sure that’s a good thing but since I’m half Norwegian I can say stuff like that…. image courtesy Merowig Flickr stream . Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Sagrada Familia) Barcelona, Spain Sagrada Família is a large Roman Catholic church (not a cathedral but I am including it anyways) in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and was designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926). Although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 was consecrated and proclaimed a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI.

Though construction of Sagrada Família had commenced in 1882, Gaudí became involved in 1883, taking over the project and transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style—combining Gothic and curvilinear, Art Nouveau forms with ambitious structural columns and arches. Gaudí devoted his last years to the project and at the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete. Sagrada Família’s construction progressed slowly as it relied on private donations and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War—only to resume intermittent progress in the 1950s. Construction passed the mid-point in 2010 with some of the project’s greatest challenges remainingand an anticipated completion date of 2026—the centennial of Gaudí’s death. The completion of the spires will make Sagrada Família the tallest church building in the world as well as the church with the tallest spire in the world. image courtesy Wolfgang Staudt Flickr stream image courtesy Perrimoon Flickr stream .

Notre Dame de Paris (Notre Dame Cathedral) Paris, France Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe, and the naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture. The first period of construction from 1163 into the 1240’s coincided with the musical experiments of the Notre Dame school. Notre Dame de Paris was among the first buildings in the world to use the flying buttress (arched exterior supports). The building was not originally designed to include the flying buttresses around the choir and nave, but after the construction began and the thinner walls (popularized in the Gothic style) grew ever higher, stress fractures began to occur as the walls pushed outward. In response, the cathedral’s architects built supports around the outside walls, and later additions continued the pattern. The cathedral was essentially complete by 1345. I took about a million pictures of this cathedral when I was there in the Summer of 2009, there are so many beautiful things to look at here. Even at 6 years old (then) my daughter enjoyed exploring around this cathedral. .

Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral of Florence) Florence, Italy Santa Maria del Fiore, the Cathedral of Florence, is built as a basilica, having a wide central nave of four square bays, with an aisle on either side. The chancel and transepts are of identical polygonal plan, separated by two smaller polygonal chapels. The whole plan forms a Latin cross. The nave and aisles are separated by wide pointed Gothic arches resting on composite piers. The dimensions of the building are enormous: 502 feet long, 124 feet wide, and 295 feet at the crossing. The height of the arches in the aisles is an amazing 75 feet, and the height from pavement to the opening of the lantern in the dome is also 295 tall. I have been in this cathedral several times and I am always amazed at the proportions of the dome and the building. There are all sorts of ingenious engineering feats that went into building a dome this large, far too many to cover here.

The thing that I do recall most fondly about these stories is that Filippo Brunelleschi, one of the most renown architects and engineers from the Italian Renaissance, didn’t produce a complete documents on how to actually build his design so that he could maintain control over the builders during construction. Scoreboard! image courtesy MarcusObal Flickr stream . Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres (Chartres Cathedral) Chartres, France What makes the Chartres Cathedral special from an art historical viewpoint is its exceptional state of preservation. The majority of the original stained glass windows survive intact, while the architecture has seen only minor changes since the early 13th century. The building’s exterior is dominated by heavy flying buttresses which allowed the architects to increase the window size significantly, while the west end is dominated by two contrasting spires — one, a 349 foott plain pyramid dating from the 1140s, and the other a 377 foot tall early 16th century spire on top of an older tower. Equally notable are the three great facades, each adorned with hundreds of sculpted figures illustrating key theological themes and narratives.

The Chartres Cathedral is considered one of the finest examples of the French High Gothic style. image courtesy Merowig Flickr stream . Hagia Sophia Cathedral Istanbul, Turkey Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey and is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. There is an incredibly long and complex history associated with the cathedral but of particular note is the size of the building itself and the complex structure of the vast interior. The nave is covered by a central dome 182′-5″ from floor level, supported in part by an arcade of 40 arched windows. Repairs to structure have left the dome somewhat elliptical – with the diameter varying between 102′-6″ and 101′-3″. That is really, really big – particularly so when you think thaat the walls holding up that dome have more mortar in them than masonry. In fact, I think this was the largest cathedral in the world until The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See (Seville Cathedral) was built some 1,000 years later.

image courtesy onerty Flickr stream image courtesy Jaime Crawley (@falloutstudio) . Santiago de Compostela Cathedral Galicia, Spain I don’t really know anything about this cathedral other than I remember it from my college days. It is a mixture of Romanesque, Baroque, and Gothic and was built between 1075 and 1211. If you are a religious person, the cathedral is significant and has been part of a major historical pilgrimage route since the Middle Ages because it is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. The cathedral is impressive in size as well – measuring 318 feet long and 72 feet high. The interior preserves its original barrel-vaulted cruciform Romanesque style layout – meaning it consists of a nave, two lateral aisles, a wide transept and a choir with radiating chapels. Compared with many other important churches, the interior of this cathedral gives a first impression of austerity until one enters further and sees the magnificent organ and the exuberance of the choir. This cathedral, through its monumental dimensions, is the largest Romanesque church in Spain and even one of the largest in Europe.

image courtesy slideshow bob Flickr stream . Winchester Cathedral Winchester, England Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe. This is another cathedral that I don’t know anything about – other than Jane Austen is buried here in the North aisle of the nave and the gravestone marker doesn’t list her as an author since most of her work was published after she died. Makes me wonder how she got there in the first place. I really wanted to include a cathedral in England on this list and since I’ve actually been to Saint Paul’s church in London, I’m thinking I should have gone with that obvious selection. I think Winchester is a beautiful example of Gothic Architecture – maybe someone who has been there can stand up for this building. Based on the image below, the interior really does look spectacular. image courtesy Charles D P Miller Flickr stream . image courtesy David Spender Flickr stream . The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat (Saint Basil’s Cathedral) Moscow, Russia Saint Basil’s Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox church erected on the Red Square in Moscow in 1555–1561.

The most interesting piece of information regarding this cathedral is that the building’s design, shaped as a flame of a bonfire rising into the sky, has no analogues in Russian architecture. What?! That’s right. There is no documented precedent for this style of architecture in Russia. Other than that, you know that this cathedral had to be on the list – it had to! I’m sure that many of the people who might accidentally read this post – regardless of where they came from – have seen this building before. I would also venture a guess that not one person in a hundred (Russian’s excluded) could have told me the name. A mega-bonus up points if you knew the real name – The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat – and not just Saint Basil’s. Don’t lie – you didn’t know it. image courtesy Erik Charlton Flickr stream . Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (Washington National Cathedral) Washington D.C., United States Of neogothic design, it is the sixth largest cathedral in the world and the second largest in the United States.

Unlike most of the cathedrals on this list, the Washington National Cathedral was built with many intentional “flaws” in keeping with an apocryphal medieval custom that sought to illustrate that only God can be perfect – most of these flaws are in the form of assymetries. I did a little “research” and read up on this cathedral on wikipedia and found out that there is a sculpture of Darth Vader placed up high in the northwest tower – the result of a competition for children to design decorative sculptures. Really? … Anybody in DC want to send me a picture of that? If I get one, I’ll add it in here for everybody else to see. image courtesy DeusXFlorida Flickr stream . image courtesy eviltomthai Flickr stream . So that’s my inagural list of cathedrals, I tried to spread things out a little so cathedrals here weren’t all in France or Italy. Like I said, there are amazing architectural cathedrals all over the world, probably 100x more that I don’t know about than the ones I do. I’m also sure that I will hear from someone about the over-representation of Romanesque and Gothic style buildings.

Oh well, what can I say? These are the ones that came to mind – feel free to list some of your favorites in the comment section. Cheers → mr_Zu To the St. Basils / Theotos on the moat cathedral – you might Know that both are possible. It contains about 10 churches inside! Thus the tallest central is Theotos on the moat. Also it is associated not only with russian architecture but also with renaissanse architecture in its regular plan. You may just compare the plan of St. Basil’s with the plan of St Peter’s cathedral Vatican. It’s interesting and probably unbelivedle but there is the masterpeace of the renaissans teological and architectural phylosophy in the center of Russian capital. esimpson Since you have seen all of these and I have not, are there agencies that have cathedral tours? Thanks. Amal Thaon I’ve seen most of these. PaP in WDC, which grew in my lifetime, doesn’t know whether it’s English or French; why? because it is simply Academic hubris.

The same criticism can be said of Protestant cathedral in NYC which appears romanesque to gothic by age, but, rather, is a change of mind. Cram’s work is the best. I agree with the inclusion of Palma; it is an engineering masterpiece; it is the most remarkable engineering feat, however inadvertent. I would also stand up for Winchester, solid, modest, but the most perfectly proportioned cathedral in Europe. The nave (50′ IIR), has the most exquisite elevations of any from the interior (which is difficult to see. The perpendicular of Canterbury is spectacular. Cf: Bannister Fletcher’s elevations of Winchester, however; the proportions are exquisite. Really more notable are are Ste Chapelle in Paris, King’s Chapel Cambridge, and the Henry VII chapel at Westminster. To grasp Collegiate Gothic, an American has many choices. The work of Cram, Rogers, Upjohn, and others offers a plethora of excellent examples. And, if Neo-Romanesque is included, H. H. Richardson’s Trinity in Boston is a masterpiece of both proportion and embellishment. Just some humble opinions.

As the greatest architect put it, however, “ten gathered together” is plenty, and may be housed in an open boat in rough waters or, as Big Dick Boner puts it: “Cathedrals are but portals of pretension; one finds God pissing by their burying grounds on a frozen starry night.” America’s most important religious structure is the belfry of Old North Church from which 2 lanterns were hung up for only a minute! but they lit the light of religious (and political) freedom, “the greatest event since the discovery of God,” as Boner put it to his grandsons. Palma, Mallorca Michael Lynch I too would like to suggest Coventry Cathedral. Although not of the scale or grandeur of say Sagrada Familia, or Durham or Lincoln Cathedrals, the two cathedrals of Coventry stood together side by side are a work of art, not least in what that sight represents.

Add to this, the magnificent works of art such as the statue of St Michael and the Devil, the Reconciliation sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos, John Hutton’s magnificent West Window of Saints and Angels, the font made from a boulder from Bethlehem, the stained glass windows and of course the awe inspiring tapestry of Christ in Glory by John Sutherland: the largest hand woven tapestry in Europe. Furthermore, symbolic pieces such as the original charred timbers from the roof of the old Cathedral, which fell and landed in the form of a cross, and the Cross of Nails which have now become an international symbol and community for peace and reconciliation. If any readers of this comment might have a few minutes to spare, please search for these works of art on the internet and gain an understanding of their meaning. Of course, one must not mention Coventry Cathedral without also referencing the magnificent Frauenkirche in Dresden. Patrick Thanks for this list. But… Why even *suggest* stopping after 10?

There are too many significant cathedrals, and so many different reasons & ways to visit them… Amiens, Leon, le Mans, Aachen, Trier… Please encourage your readers never to stop, and maybe give them some thematic guidance. You’d be giving us a much bigger favor than by stopping at 10. Thanks! Eelco For a a strange reason Assisi’s Basilica (Francesco’s) is missing in the entire discussion (because it is a basilica?). Even the most tarnished fresco’s in the lower church are beautiful. Assisi’s’ real Cathedral is also a beauty. And Le Corbusiers Notre dame du Haut chapel cannot be missed as well. And last but not least the Basilica San Vitale in Ravenna with he best mosaics I have ever seen. Reg Prescott Cologne in Germany, Antwerp in Belgium and Orleans in France are all great cathedrals. Of the ones I’ve been to in Europe (mainland), I really like Notre-Dame and St. Chapelle in Paris (not stricly speaking a cathedral but I’m including it anyway). Great atmosphere in both. One Cathedral that hasn’t been mentioned is Ely near Cambridge.

This is exquisite with its octagonal lantern and very interesting west front. Many of you will have seen this on the cover of Pink Floyd’s album “The Division Bell”. Its certainly worth a look. Also, defending Winchester, it is one of my favourites as it is quite “cosy” inside if this makes sense. Also, FWIW the choir there is certainly world class and there are many really interesting buildings around the cathedral itself such as St. Cross, 2 castles within walking distance, city walls, medieval arches, chapels and a host of others. Sean McMullen As requested, here is a picture of the Darth Vader Gargoyle located atop the Washington National Cathedral, taken as close as I could get, from up on top of the ramparts outside around the North Tower.. Sean McMullen As requested, here is a picture of the Darth Vader Gargoyle located atop the Washington National Cathedral, taken as close as I could get, from up on top of the ramparts outside around the North Tower. alfredcaulkin i’d like to defend winchester cathedral. yes, there are engllish buildings that might call for attention because of their beauty such as york or salisbury, but winchester is unique.

winchester was the old capital of england when london was just an abandoned little roman garrison. subsequently the remains of generations of english kings and queens remain there, such as egbert, edward, emma, canute the dane, and william ii. it was the shrine of st swithun, but the reformation…and the extreme puritanical zeal of cromwell who with ISIS like determination to eliminate “idolatry”…anyway… architecturally, winchester is a much more interesting place than nearby salisbury cathedral. salisbury boast uniformity owing to it’s rapid completion, but wincester was built over several generations and reflects numerous building techniques and styles. Amish Coelho I would like to know how to draw these cathedrals with precision. Could you perhaps write an article on that? Pingback: The Most Instagrammed Locations | Busbud blog () Santiago Matamoros Wow! Thank you for including my hometown Cathedral of Santiago. I agree with comments that the best cathedrals must include interior and not only exterior. For example most of churches in France were pillaged during revolutionary years, it is certainly sad.

I also think Rome’s St Peter must be in any top10, probably Köln too and maybe Milano. I also heard very good things of Prague and Aachen. For any interested in my country Spain i would recommend Burgos and Toledo. Saul Jimenez Leon? Stephen Hard Pisa in the top ten? Depends on who’s and what list, but certainly worth considering. Stephen Hard Great article and comments! I’ve been to 6 of the 10 “cathedrals” and the others are on my must-see list. I am grateful for Bob’s list and my own observations are in the interest of discussion, not to suggest my list would be “better.” I would substitute Cologne, St. Peter’s in Rome and Pisa for Nidaros, St. Basil’s and the Washington National Cathedral. It seems to me a Cathedral/great church is worth experiencing for at least one of several reasons: its interior, its exterior, its siting, or its architectural or historical/cultural significance. The absolute best ones capture all of this. There are notable exceptions. The astounding siting and painfully exquisite exterior of Florence’s Duomo trumps any disappointment with its interior. On the other hand, St.

Basil’s does not make my list because the interior is not disappointing–its nonexistent! (Still very much worth seeing). Cologne is thrilling inside, outside and as a manifestation of German culture and persistent faith over 5 centuries. The Washington National Cathedral is not in the same league. The towers of Cologne were built in the 19th Century. Like the WNC they aren’t neo Gothic, but compare! To see St. Peter’s in Rome as “just big” is to miss the genius of Michelangelo’s original plan which manages to shine (literally) despite the changes made to it. Finally, I mention Pisa, which I think gets dismissed because of its overly popular leaning tower. The campo of Pisa with arcade, baptistery, cathedral and campanile (leaning tower) is breathtaking and, as far as I know, novel in the way the elements of the cathedral were made into a campus. Michaela Oberlaender Here is a photo of the Darth Vader gargoyle from Washington National Cathedral. I downloaded it via a Google image search, so I don’t have the rights to the photo, but you can at least see what it looks like.

I am disapointed that you did not include Cologne Cathedral in this list. Since it took 600+ years to build, making it the longest building project in human history, that ought to count for something! It is also the largest cathedral in Northern Europe, and features the shrine of the three wise men. It is definitely spectacular. As far as your English cathedrals go, I think if you had gone with your impulse for St. Paul’s in London, or checked out Salisbury Cathedral, you might have done even better. That is my opinion as an art history college professor. I am still trying to find out when people stopped having to stand in the nave and pews were institued in churches and cathedrals. Anyone know that? It was a fun list, though, so thank you! Amish Coelho Pugin deplores the addition of the pews in Gothic building, so I am sure it came to be used during the 17th century perhaps? Surely during the Baroque era, though I have no evidence of this, it seems like that would be the time, since the pews fight that architecture much better. Sly I have just seen your article…..have u EVER seen St.

John’s Cathedral in Valletta, Malta. The inside is nothing short of magnificent! I haven’t seen it – I’ll go do a little internet research – thanks for pointing it out to me. Susan London Doull I just read the whole list, and am astounded (and saddened) that no one mentioned the Cathedral of Amiens. Is this because no one has gone to Amiens? It is arguably the most interesting High Gothic Cathedral in France. With the laser cleaning of the facade now almost 20 years ago, it was discovered that its facade’s sculptural program was originally polychromed. Though they did not restore the colors, they did create a “son et lumière” performance, which projects the original colored glory on the facade on the summer evening light shows. Do not miss the interior sculpted choir stalls ripleyesq I’d definitely add the Great Cathedral and Mosque in Cardova, Spain, which has the unique distinction of integrating the Gothic and Moorish architecture in a fantastic amalgamation of color and styles. Unlike anything I’ve seen anywhere, including the Hagia Sofia.

Pingback: Religious Buildings | gemoomay () percy blakeney As you asked for some remarks about Winchester Cathedral… Yes there are others its equal and some that have been championed by various different ‘experts’ to suit their biases (in the past that has usually meant either Decorated or Early English). There’s plenty of great cathedrals out there (no one’s mentioned Canterbury, Salisbury or Gloucester). Anyway, Winchester’s a great example of an English Cathedral where the great length allows it to be split into a series of separate spaces, each with its own distinctive style rather than a single space as is common on the continent. It’s one of only two cathedral naves in the most distinctively English style, perpendicular, with a beautiful lierne vault as seen in your picture. The transepts are superb examples of Romanesque, as is the crypt. The choir and chancel feature a membranous fan vault of the perpendicular era. St Swithin’s shrine and the retrochoir are in Early English Gothic. The Lady Chapel is onece again perpendicular with another memorable fan vault.

There’s also several superb chantry chapels dedicated to such historical luminaries as William of Wykeham, Cardinal Beaufort, and Stephen Gardiner. Henry of Blois’s tomb is also there. There’s a great cadaver tomb effigy too.Great cathedral and a personal favourite. Noticed the jingoistic idiot comment earlier. Sorry about that. Just ignorance. The gothic legacies, let alone of all cathedrals architecture (!), of France, Germany and Spain are of course every bit as rich as England’s. The great thing about gothic architecture is that it adapted to local preferences wherever it went so it all has its own unique charms. As for your list. Well, there’s just so much to choose from. Regarding Norway, isn’t Trondheim good enough for you? How about St Magnus in Orkney for a left field choice? HJ777 I would add to your list (indeed, I would put it top) Durham Cathedral, which is not only Europe’s greatest Norman building, but has the most spectacular setting, along with Durham Castle, of any cathedral in the world. Arrive at Durham railway station and look across at the city – there is no cityscape in Europe like it.

You can never forget that view. Only Lincoln comes close. The gothic cathedral is just as extraordinary and is set on top of the ‘cliff’ of Lincoln above the low lying land to the west and south. Approach it from the south west and it looms above the landscape from tens of miles away. The side view of the cathedral, perched above the city is simply astonishing. And in the rest of Europe, Cologne, surely. Mmanfull What a fun and informative read this has been. I’m a lover of Gothic, especially the English variety. JUSTIN LITTELL Pingback: La Catedral Notre-Dame de Chartres, un hito francés | ClubViaje.com () JoeB in the USA that is……just as cool as some of the euro’s though prob not in sheer scale JoeB there is a little known & spectacularly magnificent cathedral in newark, NJ usa of all places…..in my opinion much nicer then any of the more well knowns Lel Lel ? I am in 8th grade and will build one of these (or others) for a project. I have visited two of these and a few more cathedrals already.

Asif Farid the big black box is only showing up in chrome. Asif Farid FIX YOUR SITE! i’ll guess this is on WordPress. check your plugins and stuff. this might be a popup or simply some add ware messing with the site. might even be a virus messin up the codes. Pablo One of my favorite Gaudi quotes is that “beauty is the glitter of truth”. Never more appropriate than when one visits these works of art. As a religious person (Catholic) I have always been taken by the great effort it took the community at that time to build such an incredible work. It is more of a monument to their spirituality of that time and that place than it is a marvel of construction. A friend of mine, a catholic missionary priest, commented that some of the more remarkable churches he had ever visited were the simple thatched huts in South America that the people had prepared for mass and community meetings. Which reminds me that the real beauty, were the people that were a part of these great buildings.

Pingback: A Photo Tour of Salisbury Cathedral | Life of an Architect () Felo Just as Chartres gives Notre Dame in Paris a run for its money, the Cathedral in Siena (Santa Maria Assunta) with its mosaic floors, Bernini’s gilded lantern, Piccolomini library, and early works by Michaelangelo and Donatello easily trumps the Florence’s Duomo. Anyone visiting Tuscany should make the comparison. Syrianus I fully agree. I just came from Florence and Siena. Florence’s Duomo, was a major dissapointment. Too much space, for no reason whatsoever. It’s architecture does not reveal anything. It is just huge (like the Vatican), with an intent to impress rather than reveal incorporeal realities through architecture. Siena comes much closer to this. Of course, nothing is to my mind comparable to Haghia Sophia. Even in its dilapatated state as a musuem with most mosaics gone, it is the absolute epitomy of Christian (and not only) architecture. When you enter the building, you feel like all of being is enclosed in this building. I have not found a single building to compare it with. Amiens Cathedral is as close as it gets.

The Vatican built 1,000 years after Haghia Sophia, isn’t even in the same league. Gillian A beautiful cathedral is the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. The largest Anglican Cathedral in Europe. Deepak Bhandari I was very impressed the Church of Europe when i was attending RI convention in Portugal ,2013. Specially Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Sagrada Familia). I would like to visit the church once again . For this i need the invitation of the church to apply from here. so please …., if it possible please send it on my email address: antivirus_02004@yahoo.com Wannabeartiste I regret that I have no comment to compare from the eloquent and articulate submissions below. I must say how much I enjoyed looking at these exquisite photos of such majestic cathedrals which seem so larger than life to us humans but represent only a small speck comared to the infinite beauty that is Almighty God. But I am so grateful to God for giving those very talented humans the architectural monuments that celebrate His Glory and Greatness. Well, I outdid myself.

I didn’t think I would be able to come up with a comment as intelligent as this one. Anyone thanks so much for sharing your photos with us. I wish more of these types of sites were available on the “net”. Addict So many Cathedrals to choose from! A good worldwide list though Bob. I’ve visited most of the medieval cathedrals in Uk and some in Europe, and I’d like to recommend a book if you’ve never read it – The Cathedrals of England by Alec Clifton-Taylor. For my money the best book on the English Cathedrals from an art historical viewpoint. For the record Clifton-Taylor rates Lincoln and Wells as his favourites, and I agree. The only one on your list that I’d strongly disagree with, and that I’ve been to is the sagrada familia in Barcelona. Last time I visited it was a building site. Ben Parker Not a well-known cathedral, but one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen: The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Dali, Yunnan Province, China. Built in the 18th century by Jesuit missionaries; fantastic combination of Chinese with Western sacred architecture.

DJ hard to say since I don’t know where you are located … so I’m going to say any one of the catholic cathedrals listed in this post would be wonderful to attend mass Robert Hi Bob We have visited 44 Cathedrals in our travels over 40 years. The ones that stay in our minds are; Ely and Koln (Cologne). If you need any Pics we have lots, let me know what you need and I will try to help. If you want to pick out your single most favorite image from both Ely and Koln, I can use them in the current list of cathedrals I am making. bob@lifeofanarchitect.com is the address you should use Wendy Beauvais, France will also be worth your time. Ben10 Awesome cathedrals in 7th grade and doing one of these for my project Bill Reeves Thanks Bill – this is a good bucket list but if I can get to more I certainly would like it Rachel If you want a breathtaking cathedral in the UK then I would have chosen York Minster.

From the outside to each inside corner, it is amazing and is also full of pre-cathedral history in its foundations dating back to the 4th century AD and earlier. If you want a modern and unique cathedral then the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is worth a look, even if it isn’t as detailed and historical as others. David Jones My own top ten that i have fond memories of and have been lucky to visit. In no particular order 1. Seville. For the giralda alone i would place it here. 2. Cologne. The big daddy of the gothic cathedrals. Will never forget first seeing this magnificent edifice. Imo top 5 structure in the world. 3. Santa Maria Del Fiore, Florence. An architectural wonder. Stunning from every single angle. 4. Strasbourg. 5. Alexander Nevsky, Tallinn. The only orthodox cathedral i have seen, impressive but no doubt bettered by its Russian and Ukrainian peers. 6. Cadiz. A baroque masterpiece, in the most delighful of squares and framed almost always by a cobalt blue sky. 7. La Sagrada familia. 8. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul 9.

Cathedral of Lima (at night, a wonderful sight) 10. Cathedral of Orvieto, Italy. Top cathedrals dont have to be in major cities, Perched up high atop an Umbrian hillside, this Romanesque-Gothic cathedral has the most fantastic golden tinted facade which sparkles on a sunny afternoon. Photos do not do this wonder justice. Also has very Impressive frescoes of the last judgement by Signorelli, Michaelangelo studied here and is thought to have had a significant influence upon the great man. I will give a sneaky mention to the cathedral of Cordoba, … but mostly because it was placed slap bang in the heart of the jewel that is the Mezquita! Andy Bittner To add more material on Washington National Cathedral… The Darth Vader carving, high on the east face of the northwest tower, is the result of a contest the Cathedral held in conjunction with National Geographic’s children’s magazine, World, for children to design cathedral art. Four entries were chosen. The first three chosen entries were original art (after all it WAS a design competition), but the fourth entry was chosen from a suggestion that was more intellectual than artistic.

A young man named Chris Raeder (I have no idea if the rhyme was a factor) suggested that there were so many odd, vaguely evil looking sculptures on the outside of the ancient cathedrals, at which we are guessing today, put Darth on Washington National Cathedral and let people guess about him in 1,000 years. In the years I’ve been working and guiding at Washington National Cathedral, I’ve also has some additional thoughts on the matter. While I’m not suggesting that George Lucas had Christianity in mind, when he devised “The Force”, Anakin Skywalker is a great example of a deathbed redemption, an alternative fondly regarded in most Christian sects. Furthermore, I’ve decided that -Washington National Cathedral being a Christian church, where forgiveness is paramount- we probably shouldn’t even call him Darth Vader. Maybe we should just call him “Anakin Skywalker in a bad moment”. The moon rock in the Space Window, pictured elsewhere in this Comments thread, is just one example of the many thought-provoking stones incorporated into Washington National Cathedral’s fabric.

Beginning with the first Episcopal bishop of Washington, The Right Reverend Henry Yates Satterlee (whose dream it was that WNC would be a Gothic building), there was a recognition that, as a Protestant Christian church, Washington National Cathedral did not have its own roots in Rome (as did all of WNC’s ancient Gothic siblings), and would lack, somehow, for the absence of relics. While there is no arguing that some rock in a Protestant church is theologically the same as a Roman Catholic relic, Satterlee felt the presence of thought-provoking stones from great places in Christian, American and world history might strike a similar chord in our hearts and souls. As a result, Washington National Cathedral’s pulpit is built from stones that were originally part of the Bell Harry Tower at Canterbury Cathedral. The main altar is 12 stones, quarried at Solomon’s Quarry in Jerusalem, from which, legend suggests, Solomon’s Temple was quarried. In the floor in front of the altar are ten stones from the Chapel of Moses on Mt. Sinai. Symbolically, the Jerusalem Altar stands founded on the Ten Commandments. The official seat of the Episcopal Bishop of Washington is the Glastonbury Cathedra.

The stones for that chair come from the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, legendary birthplace of Christianity in the British isles. More recently, the stones-as-“relics” concept was carried forward by The Very Reverend Francis B. Sayre Jr., sixth dean of the Cathedral. Among other pieces of important stone or masonry at Washington National Cathedral there are pieces of stone from Westminster Abbey, from Cologne Cathedral, from St. David’s Cathedral in Wales, raw stone from Mt. Sinai, a carved first-century stone from the Appian Way in Rome, a brick from the first (1607) church in Jamestown, Virginia, and, of course, the great secular relic of the 20th century, a piece of the moon. johannes nissen Istanbul, Agia sofia (+ 1500 y/o) 2. Best gothic cathedral – Cologne (although built over 500 years), Reims, Antwerp, ‘s Hertogenbosch/Burgos, in that order. ( 1000 to 600 y/o) 3. Best renaissance: The one in New York.

But a marvellous tribute to the gothic cathedrals nonetheless! In my personal opinion, the epithomy of gothic style is pure unparalleled etsthetics (enormous windows, light structure, sharp edges) alignemend with physical behaviour of building materials (stone, lead, wood), water drainment (arches), and workers ingenuity. To me, lots of its worth is in the story and context of the people who got so much effort in in (albeit forced, etc, as under every sociological system).

Question: Which is the largest cathedral in England?
Answer: LIVERPOOL ANGLICAN